Oftentimes, when it is desired to secure a frame, such as for a picture, at a selected location on a surface, such as a wall, one or more pieces of small-to medium-sized hardware are utilized. In some cases, a common nail can be used, hammered into a wall at a selected location and angled, downwardly, relative thereto such that the distal end of the nail will extend outward and upward once the nail is in place. Slightly more complex than a common nail, various off-the-shelf special-purpose hardware devices are commercially available. Typically, these can comprise something in the nature of a nail or nail-like portion, integral with, or connectable in some manner to, an upward and outwardly extending hook portion. For example, such hardware often can comprise a nail that can pass through a sleeve integral with the hook. The hook can be held against a surface of a wall at a desired height. Conveniently, the hook can be operable to automatically align the nail at an optimum angle. The nail portion, with the accompanying hook portion, can be hammered into a wall, similar to the foregoing nail-only solution. Rather than utilizing the distal end of the nail as a hook, the specific hook portion of the device is used for hanging or attaching the frame at a selected location proximate the surface of the wall. Frames oftentimes include a hanging wire attached to their back sides, which can slip over an installed hook. There are also other known means known that can sit on the nail or hook to support a frame in place. In some instances, for example, one or more holes, channels, keyholes, D-rings, sawtooth hangers, or the like are formed into or on the frame material itself, each of which can fit over or on the distal end of a nail or hook.
Sometimes, with small-to-midsized frames, which usually are not particularly heavy, only a single nail or piece of special-purpose hardware, often referred to as a hanger, is employed. With large to very-large frames, however, which can be heavy and tend to unduly stress just a single nail or special-purpose hanger, plural nails or hangers are often utilized, for example, at spaced-apart locations along the upper margin of the back of the frame, e.g., towards each lateral side of the frame, and sometimes at its central region, as well. Generally, screws can provide more holding power than nails, so they can be preferable for hanging large, heavy pictures. When hanging a frame between studs, a hollow-wall anchor can be used, such as a toggle bolt, molly bolt, or spiral anchor. A spiral anchor is generally considered among the easier of such devices to install, as it can simply be driven into the wall with a screwdriver, and then a screw can be driven into the anchor. Notably, some commercially available spiral anchors include special picture-hanging hooks and some commercially available hangers include an adhesive strip to mount a hook to a wall.
Although not all that complex, several problems are commonly associated with hanging frames in the ways described above. For example, such problems can include one or more of: (i) hanging the frame securely so it doesn't fall; (ii) pinpointing the nail location so the frame hangs with sufficient precision at the desired location; (iii) hanging the frame level with the horizon, with sufficient precision; and (iv) wasting adhesive strips that are placed in the wrong position and need to be removed. Unacceptable errors made with any one or more of the foregoing potential problems can require removal of the problematically placed nail or hanger, and a reattempt. Sometimes multiple rounds are required before satisfactory results are achieved. This can be time-consuming, as well as damaging to the selected surface(s), depending upon the number of repeated attempts required before success is achieved. Further, the task of frame hanging with the above devices and methods can prove to be very frustrating, especially for nonprofessionals, such as homeowners or renters that perform the task only infrequently, for example, as a do-it-yourself (DIY) home-improvement project. Despite the above-mentioned problems, as they have been for countless years, the above-described apparatus and methods of hanging frames continue, to this day, to be the most popular and widely used.
A commercially available product for hanging frames, which is quite different from the above described apparatus and methods, is sold by Designs 4 Life LLC under the registered trademark PICTURE PERFECT HANGER®, marked with U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,308 B2 to Greve', issued Feb. 19, 2013. Such products are available via the internet url: http://pictureperfecthanger.com/.